The Seven Years' Sorrow
by Dead Reckoning
Summary: What if General Iroh's bloodline didn't end with the death of his son Lu Ten? What if Iroh had a daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and didn't even know they existed? And worse yet, what if they were from the Water Tribes? [Lu Ten x OC]
1. Chapter 1

All right. I'm back, with a new and improved version. Look for updates much more often, and as always, thank you for reading! Oh, and just a quick note. The story begins six years before the series starts, and in time will merge with the main storyline. As always, reviews are appreciated. I'm eager to see what you think of the new changes!

* * *

The Seven Years' Sorrow:

Chapter 1:

"Do you think it could be true?" he asked as he undressed down to his underwear.

"No," I said simply, quietly, while he laid down on the table before me. Partially to soothe him, but mostly because I couldn't bring myself to imagine it being so. "Think about it," I said calmly, trying to remain as rational as I sounded. "If our brothers and sisters in the South were really so bad off, don't you think we would have heard something by now?"

"That's just it," Taruk replied. "What if they've been desolate for years, and this is the first we're hearing of it?" I frowned. My friend had a point. We hadn't heard any news of our sister tribe for a long time. This could be their final, desperate call for help. My whole face fell then. "I'm so sorry, Yarah. I did not mean to upset you," he said gently.

"Don't be. It's better than hiding it from me, which is what my mother is probably doing," I said honestly. It was his turn to frown then, and I simply smiled in return. "Relax," I commanded softly. He obeyed, loosening his body. I leaned over him, putting my hand over his face and closing his eyes.

I slipped into my own world then, going back to my most basic self as I got lost in the art of healing, letting the water guide my hands. It was a bad accident. Taruk—a close friend and one of the few able-bodied men left in the North—had crashed his boat into an iceberg, causing an avalanche. Several of his ribs were crushed, and his arm was broken. It would take a lot of time to fix him, but that's why he came to me. Everyone says I'm the best healer in the world.

I did what I could for Taruk, which mostly consisted of setting his bones into place and advancing the natural healing process, which in itself took hours. He was grateful for my help, and I was glad to give it to him. Taruk had been my friend since we were children. We would do anything for each other. Once I was done, I bid him good day and returned home, thoroughly exhausted from my work.

When I opened the door, my mother was standing there, waiting for me expectantly. "Where have you been?!" she screamed at me.

I sighed heavily. "I told you, Mother, I went to the healing huts to visit Taruk. I told you yesterday and this morning that I was going."

"No you didn't!" I was worried sick about you!" she yelled.

I closed my eyes so that she couldn't see me rolling them. Ever since my father died six years ago, my mother had been increasingly forgetful, forlorn, and forceful. To say that she had become absolutely domineering would have been a severe understatement. I get where she was coming from—she didn't want to lose me the way she lost her husband—but it was getting ridiculous. I was twenty-two years old, and I wasn't going off to war any time soon. "If you were really so worried," I said calmly "you would have gone looking for me instead of LYING IN BED ALL DAY LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO!"

There. I said it. When my mother wasn't trying to control my every move, she was lying in bed, staring off into space, imagining a world where my father was still alive. Which meant that I quickly had to grow up at sixteen. I guess a part me has always been bitter about her abandoning me. I understand that she was grieving, but so was I. I'd lost my father, and I needed my mother more than anything. And she left me to sort through my feelings alone.

Before I knew what happened, my mother had flown across the room at me, tackling me to the floor and slapping me so hard I saw stars. "How dare you say that?! I'm… I'm sick!"

"You're not sick YOU ARE A LAZY, GOODFORNOTHING BUM! I do EVERYTHING around here, do you hear me?! Everything! I cook; I clean; I do the laundry; I make the money that buys the food and medicine you _so desperately need—_ "There was quite a bit of acid in my voice as I said that. My mother was addicted to sleeping syrup. It was like she just wanted to sleep the rest of her life away.

She slapped me again, even harder than the first time. "You take that back right now! I am your mother and you will show me the respect I deserve!"

"I'll respect you as my mother WHEN YOU START **ACTING LIKE ONE AGAIN**!" It was at that moment that I close to end it. I brought up my arm, bringing quite a bit of snow with me which sent her crashing into the wall. I closed my fist then, turning the water into ice. "Don't you ever touch me again," I said softly, darkly.

My feet carried me away from the house, and I ran into the palace without realizing it. I ran through the halls, meandering this way and that, running into the great hall where I knew my uncle was. Arnook rushed to me, grabbing me into his arms. "Yarah! Yarah, what's wrong?"

"W-w-we were fighting," I managed to say through my tears. "It's the worst it's ever been! She slapped me. She hit me, and I waterbended at her," I confessed quietly. "I didn't—I didn't mean to do it, but I had to get her off of me," I sobbed.

"It's all right, Yarah," he said calmly. "Everything is going to be all right now." He hugged me tightly then, taking me to his rooms to calm down. "I wish I could stay with you, but I have to go now. I'm making an important announcement in the Hall," he said.

"What is it?" I asked. I quickly wiped my eyes and nose on my sleeves in what was probably the most unladylike manner possible.

"If you're sure you're all right, you can come along to hear," he said, offering me his hand. I took it and walked with him to the Great Hall, where I saw that almost everyone had gathered here. I noticed my mother was absent, and with good reason. That ice wasn't going to melt any time soon. At least I could get a few minutes away from her nagging. I frowned at the thought. When had my mother and I become enemies?

I willed my mind to quiet when my uncle took his place in front of the crowd and started to speak. "Brothers and sisters of the Water Tribe, it is with a heavy heart that I gather you here today. I've just received news that we've lost another battalion to the Fire Nation. Karuluk's—" He was immediately cut off my several cries and wails from a few of the women in the room. No doubt their husbands and sons were on Karuluk's ship. "His ship, as well as he and his men, are gone," he said solemnly. "They died bravely, as the heroes we all knew them to be… But this is the last straw," he said darkly.

Just when I thought he was about to announce some kind of all-out assault on the Fire Nation, he did the unthinkable. "Because of this as well as our other losses, I am withdrawing all troops from the front lines and back to the North Pole. Effective immediately. From now on, we will pursue a policy of neutrality and non-aggression." The room became overrun with cheers of joy, but my jaw dropped, and my heart sank. How could he do this? How could he just give up now, after everything we've lost?

Arnook quickly retired to his chambers as the news actually started to sink in. Our husbands, fathers, and sons were coming home. Except mine wasn't. I lost my father to his war, and now my uncle was spitting in my face by abandoning our mission.

I immediately followed him back to his rooms. "What is the meaning of this?" I started in on him. "How could you possibly abandon the war after all of this?! After everything we've lost?! Did my father's death mean NOTHING to you?!" I screamed.

"My brother-in-law's death is part of what influenced my decision," he said simply, solemnly.

"How dare you—"

"I didn't want another family to go through what you went through when Tarnok died," he quietly countered. "And I need the men here, for a much more important mission."

"What is it?" I asked, closing the door. I had a feeling that whatever he was about to tell me would be confidential until he felt the tribe was ready to hear it. He gestured me to a chair, where he sat next to me.

"I'm bringing the troops back," he said, "because in a few weeks I'm going to send half of our strongest benders to the South," he continued. "I just got word today that our sister tribe is in absolutely horrible, dire straits. They have fewer than five benders, and a population of under 100. All of the men have gone to fight in the war, and no one has heard anything from those fighters since they day they left." I gasped and put a hand to my mouth. "If we don't help them, I'm afraid our sister tribe will go extinct." I had heard the rumors; Taruk had mentioned it to me this morning, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined it was anything so awful.

I shook my head and tried to stop the tears from running down my face. It was a futile effort, of course. I let my head fall into my hands and began to sob violently as my hatred for the Fire Nation grew by leaps and bounds. They had wiped out the Airbenders, killed my father, and were on the verge of exterminating my sister tribe. This was absolutely too much.

As I thought about his plan, a sudden question lodged into my head. "Will you be sending any healers to the South?" I asked innocently. If he was sending benders, surely the healers would follow. Or should.

He smiled at that. "Yes, Yarah, I'm sending about a quarter of our healers as well. It will be strictly voluntary—as is the bending—but yours was the first name on my list," he answered. "I think it will be good for you and your mother to spend some time apart.

I smiled. That was exactly what I was thinking. "Good," I said quietly. "I would be honored to go," I said.

"Then it's settled," he said, "I won't be making the announcement for a while. I want the troops to get back first, since they'll make up the majority of the travelling party anyway."

"But you will give them some time with their families, though, right?"

"Yes. In fact, I was even thinking of letting some of the families travel along with the benders, to try to start the repopulation process." I hadn't thought of that. With fewer than 100 people, and all of the men gone, the Southern Tribe could die out simply from natural causes. They need families down there if they are to start rebuilding.

"That's a good idea," I said softly. "I have to go now," I continued, rising from my seat. "I have to see to my mother."

Arnook stopped me then, putting his arms around me and bringing me close to him. "Don't let her get to you," he murmured into my hair.

"I'll try," I said to his chest. I left quietly then, stealing away into the night. When I got home, my mother was right where I left her. Stuck in ice, trying to get down. I put out my hand, and brought it back toward myself in a fist. The ice melted into water then, and she fell to the floor. "I'm sorry," I murmured before going into my room without giving her a chance to respond.

I fell into bed then, too tired to bathe or even change clothes, exhausted from the day. The soldiers were coming home, only to be re-uprooted and sent all the way across the world. And I was going with them. The thought that I could be away from my mother for even a short period of time comforted me as I fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

I woke up the next morning with renewed hope. I was excited to go to the South, to see how our brothers and sisters really lived, but more importantly, I was ecstatic at the possibility of spending some time on my own and away from my mother. I frowned at the thought, but I couldn't deny that our relationship was nowhere near where it should have been.

I got up out of bed, and decided to go to the Spirit Oasis to pray. I needed a clear head for the inevitable conversation I was going to have to have, and I wanted to put to rest my anxiety about travelling so far away from everything I'd ever known.

I was excited to find that the Spirit Oasis was empty. Now I could be alone with my thoughts and pray in solitude. I made my way over to the small koi pond in the center, where the Moon and Ocean Spirits, Tui and La, rested. I looked down to find them swimming in circles around each other, always and forever locked in their cycle of push and pull. I put my hands out and lifted the water up out of the pool so that they swam directly in front of me.

I closed my eyes then, steadying my breathing as I prayed for mental clarity and guidance. I prayed that the soldiers would return home safely, that my mother would let me go without a fight, and that my journey to the South would be a safe one. I also prayed that once there, the teaching, training and rebuilding processes would go well. It was a tall older, but we had the strongest, most capable waterbenders in the world up here. If anyone could rebuild the South Pole, it would be us.

When I was done, I brought my little ball of water down into my lap. I looked down at the spirits swimming in my hands, absolutely awed that they had chosen to take a physical shape and that I was holding them in my hands. I sat like this for I don't know how long, mesmerized by them.

It was quite a few hours later that I decided to end my prayer session. I returned the spirits to their pool and left the Oasis. I decided to go and check on my friend Taruk. I made my way to the healing huts and quickly found his cot. He was sleeping peacefully, but woke up not long after I had arrived. "Yarah," he said with a smile. "It's good to see you." He leaned forward to give me a hug, and I happily returned the gesture.

"It's better to see you," I said warmly. "How are you today? How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I'm fine. Much better than I was even twelve hours ago," he said. "All thanks to you," he said with what I thought was a blush.

"Oh, stop it," I said. "You've done most of the work on your own. You're a strong man, and definitely my easiest patient." His blush was confirmed when it deepened at that. "You're going to be back to normal in no time, trust me."

"You're about the only person I can trust, Yarah," he said, looking me deep in the eye. Was he flirting with me? I was bad at this. I had no experience with men whatsoever, and my father died before he could teach me about boys. I looked away with a blush of my own then, closing my eyes. I didn't know whether or not I wanted to pursue a relationship with Taruk. He was sweet, and strong, and kind, yes, but… I didn't know if I even wanted to get married.

It didn't help that my mother often made all kinds of snide comments and remarks about how he and I should get married and do it soon, too. Most of the girls in the Water Tribes wed at sixteen or seventeen, so the fact that I had made it to twenty-two without finding my husband was practically unheard of. It helped, though, that my father wasn't around to arrange a marriage. That was the one good thing about his death. It granted me a certain freedom that most women didn't have.

And, if I was being honest, I liked not having a husband to tie me down. I absolutely relished being able to go and do what I wanted, when I wanted, without having to answer to anyone. If I got married, all of that would change. I would have had to be absolutely subservient to my husband. I could do nothing without his permission, and that was not an idea that particularly enamored me.

So I decided to play it cool, to be aloof and withdrawn from him romantically until I could figure out what it was that I wanted. "Are we alone in here?" I asked.

"Yes," he said as his face lit up with hope, and I could tell right away that my question was worded all wrong.

I shook my head to try to get him to abandon that notion. "I was talking to my uncle yesterday," I said.

"Oh," he said. I could hear the dejection in his voice.

"You were right," I blurted out. "You were right about the Southern Tribe. I asked if we were alone because I don't think Arnook wants anyone to know how bad it is just yet," I continued.

The light returned to his eyes, then. He was glad about being right and that I was confiding in him, I could tell. "Really? How bad is it?"

"Not even five waterbenders and fewer than 100 people," I answered honestly. "And from the sounds of things, they have only women and children left. My uncle says all the men went to fight, but that no one's heard from them since they left. And that was eight months ago," I finished, pursing my lips.

"Oh my La," he murmured.

"You can't tell anyone, though. I don't even think he really wanted me to know. I think it was weighing heavily on his mind, and I was just there. A pair of ears to listen," I said bluntly. My uncle and I were close, but more often than not, he wanted to be left alone with his secrets and his silences, and I couldn't possibly blame him because I'm the same way.

"What is Chief Arnook going to do about it?" Taruk asked seriously.

"That's the best part," I said with a smile. "You weren't in the Hall yesterday, so I'm not sure if you've heard, but my uncle is bringing all of the troops home and activating a neutrality doctrine."

"After everything we've done?! After all the men we've lost?! How could he possibly—"

"I know. I said the same thing. But he's bringing them home because he wants them to go to the South. He wants to help the Southern Tribe rebuild."

"Oh, oh wow that's great!" he said, his entire demeanor changing.

"Isn't it? And he said he wants ME to go!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"… Why… why you?" he asked, and I could tell that he was hurt by the idea of my absence.

I raised an eyebrow. "Because of my age, silly," I said, shoving him playfully. "I'm sure a couple of the other healers are going, but the next youngest master is in her fifties. The trip will be far less strenuous for me." I took his hands in mine then. "I want you to come with me, Taruk."

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes. We won't be leaving for at least a few months, which is plenty of time for you to get back to one hundred percent, and I want a familiar face with me when I go. And besides, you are one of the strongest benders in the North. I'm sure it won't be long before my uncle asks you anyways."

"If I go, it'll be because you asked me. Nothing more, nothing less," he said, dead serious.

"Oh, come on! Where's your sense of adventure! Don't you want to take a potentially dangerous trip all around the world and visit our sister tribe and help them rebuild?"

"Well when you say it like that…" he said, and I could tell my excitement was rubbing off on him.

It was an exhilarating thought, traveling all around the world, and for such a noble endeavor. The very thought of it made me happier than I had ever been since my father died. I was completely thrilled to go, and I knew that these next few months would be the absolute slowest of my life as I waited to embark on the journey.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Taruk groaned suddenly, harshly. "Here, let me help you," I said. I quickly bended some water out of a nearby pot and placed it over the spot he had been holding. I could tell that the tissue was heavily damaged, so healing it took a lot out of me. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and so after giving him a hug, I left to return home.

I took a deep breath as I made my way up to the threshold. I was filled with anxiety about the conversation I was going to have with my mother, but it needed to happen. I was going to the South, and that's all there was to it. My mother could either accept that, or she couldn't. But I hoped to La with everything I had that she would accept it.

I opened the door to the shock of my life. My mother was actually folding laundry. "I thought about what you said yesterday, and you're right," she started before I could even open my mouth. "You are doing everything around here, and that's not fair. I need to pull my own weight." I smiled at that. Maybe there was hope for us yet.

"That's great, Mother!" I rushed to her then, throwing my arms around her and pulling her close. "I'm so proud of you," I said honestly.

"It feels good to be doing something again," she admitted. "After our fight, I realized that I was wasting away in that bed all day. I had thrown away six years of my life, and for what? Your father wouldn't have wanted me to live that way. He would have wanted me to try to enjoy my life again, to try and find happiness."

Tears flooded my eyes then. "That's wonderful," I said. "You've just made me so very happy."

"Not as happy as you make me," she said, pulling me into another hug.

"Mother, while I have you here, we need to talk," I said seriously, sitting down in front of her.

"What is it, Yarah? What's so serious?"

"After our fight, you were tied up, so you didn't get to go to the Great Hall yesterday. Your brother made an important announcement. He's bringing the soldiers home and starting a non-aggression policy. We are officially withdrawing from the war," I started.

"Oh, OH that's great!" she said happily.

"But that's not all. What he didn't tell them was that our Sister Tribe is in dire straights, and they need serious help. When the soldiers arrive, after a few months, he's sending a battalion of benders and healers to the South to help," I said, taking a deep breath. "And I'm going with them."

"What?" she said quietly in disbelief.

"I'm going to the South Pole, Mother. It's my duty to help our brothers and sisters—"

"Your duty is to help me!" she screamed. "I'm your mother! I don't care about the South and you shouldn't either!"

I was shocked. The callousness with which she had spoken had taken me aback. How could she say that? It could have just as easily been us in the South, sending a desperate message up North, praying that someone would hear our cries and come to help us. I pursed my lips. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Mother, but my mind is made up. I'm going. I have to. They need my help. You are getting back on your feet—today is proof of that—and you will survive just fine without me. Besides, I won't be gone forever. It'll just be a few months, maybe a year at most, and then I'll return in no time—"

"Get out," she murmured.

"What?"

"Get out. Get out of my house right now!"

Tears flooded my eyes again. "You can't possibly mean that, Mother…"

"Can't you hear me?! I SAID GET OUT! Since you're so keen on running off to your fools' errand and leaving me to die, you might as well do it now so GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND DON'T YOU EVER COME BACK!"

I looked away from her. I couldn't believe this. I couldn't believe she was throwing me out in the cold simply because I wanted to help others. "If that's what you want, fine, but you will never see me again and I couldn't be happier because now I see what kind of monster you really are," I spat before turning and running out of the house.

I ran to—where else—the palace, where I found Arnook in his study. "Oh, no, not again. Yarah, come here. What's wrong?"

It was several minutes before I could speak. I was simply crying too hard. "S-Sh-She threw me out!" I wailed.

"What?" Arnook asked in utter disbelief.

"I told her that I was going to the South, and she said I was abandoning her and told me to get out so I did. I left and I'm never going back! I never want to see her again!"

"You don't mean that, Yarah."

"Yes I do! She's horrible! She's a fucking monster and I'm glad that she's out of my life! I just… I just don't know what to do now. I have nowhere to go."

He held me out in front of him at arms length. "How dare you say such a thing—"

"It's true! I don't—"

"Nonsense. You're staying right here with me. I'll go to my sister's house and get your things in the morning."

"I couldn't possibly—"

"I don't want to hear another word about it. Besides, Yue will be glad to have her favorite person around full time." The smallest of smiles formed on my lips at the thought of Yue. My little baby cousin was ten years old, and she would always say that I was her bestest friend in the whole wide world. Arnook was right. It would be good to spend more time with her, especially now that I was leaving.

"Come on, I'll show you to a set of rooms," he said gently as he led me through more winding hallways and into the Chief's Quarters. He showed me into a lavish set of rooms with a sitting area that was bigger than my entire house. Well, former house. He commanded me to rest, and I happily obliged. I took a bath and climbed into bed, where I promptly started to cry myself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

I stayed in bed for a long time after that, until I realized that I was acting just like my mother would have, which was something I promised myself I would never do. I had always said that as long as there was breath in my body, I would fight another day. The thought of turning into my mother terrified me to the core. It was easy to get up after that.

The fact that I had so much to do before my journey made it even easier to get moving again. I had to train—in secret because women technically aren't allowed to use waterbending to fight—and pack, and join in the meetings to plan our route to the South. It was a daunting set of tasks, but I relished the idea of being able to do some real good in the world.

I couldn't possibly have thanked my uncle enough for letting me stay with him. Being out of that house and away from my mother helped me realize just how toxic that environment was for me. It was amazing how clear my mind was, and how much more serene and peaceful I was, when I was away from her. And it was great getting to spend so much time with Yue. After her mother passed away when she was seven, I became a sort of surrogate for her, doing everything that a mother would. Because Arnook, Tui bless him, had no idea what he was doing.

The next few months were rough. I was constantly training, and having to go so far away to do it was bitter work in its own right. When I wasn't doing that, I was helping gather supplies for the ship as well as meeting with uncle and the rest of the Council of Elders to iron out the details of our voyage. Add in trying to spend as much time with Yue as I could, and it was a wonder I got any sleep at all. But it was definitely worth it. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a purpose.

Taruk had been an absolute spirit send throughout all of it. He helped me train, sparred with me, and calmed me down when the anxiety got the best of me, which was often. We had grown even closer as friends, but I made sure to put quite a bit of distance between us romantically. And I think it worked, too, because he backed off after that.

A couple of months after my uncle had made his peace declaration, the soldiers began to return home. It was a full six weeks before everyone made it back, though. But those were the happiest and most rejoiceful six weeks that we'd probably ever had in the Water Tribes. The whole atmosphere had lightened, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off our shoulders. I guess it had been, knowing that no more of our men would be sent to fight a war we couldn't possibly win.

* * *

I remember it clearly. It was a bright, sunny day, but still cool, when Taruk burst into my room at the palace. I was spending some of my precious free time meditating, trying to ease my growing tensions about leaving. "Yarah!" he shouted. He quickly quieted himself, though, when he realized I was meditating. "Yarah, I can't go with you to the South," he said suddenly.

"What? Why not?" I asked desperately. I was eagerly looking forward to actually having a friend with me. I knew the other benders and healers who were going, but none of them were close to me. Not like Taruk was. "What's going on? What's happened?" It was just yesterday that we were discussing the sleeping arrangements.

"The last of the ships returned today, the one with my father's crew on it," he started slowly.

"Okay…" I said cautiously. I gave him a look which clearly indicated my confusion. This should have been great news, but the look on my friend's face told me it was anything but.

"My father, he… He wasn't on the ship. They had been spotted by a stray Fire Navy vessel, and… and my father and a few other men were killed in the ensuing battle. They sacrificed themselves to save the others," he said with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Taruk, I'm so sorry," I said. I threw my arms around his neck then, and he returned the gesture wholeheartedly, wrapping his arms around my waist and beginning to cry into my shoulder. I knew now why he couldn't go with me. Taruk had already moved back in with his mother to help out in his father's stead, and he couldn't possibly leave his family alone now. His mother was now a widow, and was unable to even think of finding any sort of work because she had three small children under the age of five, as well as two more children who were underage. At twenty-five years old, my friend was now the man of the house, having to look after six people as well as himself. I couldn't possibly take him away from that.

And so it was that Taruk and I cried on each other's shoulders for several minutes, bordering on an hour. We were upset, not only because his father was gone but also that he couldn't come with me now. It hurt to know that in addition to leaving behind everything I ever knew and loved, I was now abandoning my best friend, too.

The thought made me want to stay, but Taruk quickly and forcefully talked me out of it. He said that at least one of us had to go. One of us had to be able to say that we made the journey and was doing some good in the world. I quickly countered that we could make a difference here, and that I would be happy to help him take care of his family, but he silenced the notion almost immediately as it left my mouth. He said that he could take care of his family just fine on his own. He thanked me for the thought, but he said that he wanted to know that one of us was making a difference in the world, not just on the small scale of one family. And I gave him that. Begrudgingly, of course.

* * *

I still had a couple of months left before I was to travel to the South, so I made the most of it. I trained even harder, checked and rechecked my supplies, and eagerly and enthusiastically participated in the meetings. It was the least I could do, for both myself and Taruk. When I wasn't doing that, I spent almost all of my time with Yue. Taruk was awarded the very few minutes I had left, which usually consisted of an hour-long chat in the Spirit Oasis. An hour if we were lucky, that is. With him taking care of his family and me preparing to go, it was all we could do to carve out even those precious minutes for each other.

We enjoyed each other's company, but I still wasn't sure how I felt about him romantically. It came to a head one night in the Oasis.

We were sitting, talking, by the pond, and I was holding Tui and La in my hands like I often did. I was watching them swim their eternal circle around each other, when Taruk suddenly broke me out of my thoughts.

"Yarah, you know I love you, right?"

My eyes widened; I gasped just the slightest; and I ended up dropping the puddle of water that I was bending. Tui and La started flapping about wildly on my lap, and I quickly regained my wits and bent more water to save them. Since he said this so seriously and suddenly, I knew this required my full attention, and I returned the spirits to their pool. "Where is this coming from, Taruk?" I said as I turned to face him.

"I've been thinking…" he said cryptically. "Losing my father made me realize just how lonely I've been. I need someone in my life, Yarah, someone to complete me, and that person has been and will always be you. I trust you completely, more than anyone, and we work well together. We're a good match, and I think it's time we finally stop beating around the Lionturtle." OhmyLa. OhmyLa ohmyLa ohmyLa where was he going with this?

"I want to make you my wife, Yarah," he said, standing up only to bend down on one knee, returning himself to my eye level as he pulled out the most beautiful betrothal necklace. "Will you? Will you marry me?"

I let my head fall into my hands. I didn't—I couldn't—there was no way I could… I sighed heavily then as I thought about the words that prefaced his proposal. How lonely he was. "Taruk," I started slowly. "I can't marry you," I began. I kept my gaze focused on the pool, because there was no way I could look him in those beautiful blue eyes that I knew were hurting so badly right now. "I love you dearly, but I'm not sure that I'm IN love with you. I don't even know what being in love feels like.

"And more importantly, you don't want to marry me because you love me," I said. I raised my hand to silence him when he went to counter me. "You want to marry me because you're lonely. You're lonely, and you need someone to keep you company. That person isn't me, Taruk. And besides, if I'm being honest, I don't even know that I'll ever want to wed. I enjoy my freedom far too much to even consider—"

"You would have every freedom with me. I wouldn't even thinking of restricting—"

"Taruk, please!" I shouted as the tears flooded my eyes and started to stream down my face. "Don't make this any harder than it already is."

"I'm not the one making it difficult. You are," he said, and I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was rising above me. "All I've ever wanted to do was make you happy, and now you're spitting in my face," he said as he turned to leave.

I wanted to go after him, but nothing I said would've changed the way he felt. Not unless I agreed to marry him, and I couldn't possibly bring myself to do that. He deserved a wife who went into their marriage wholeheartedly, not someone who did it to spare his feelings. And besides. Taruk was young, strong, and attractive. Plenty of girls were already throwing themselves at him, as well as the men who were trying to arrange a match between him and their daughters. But apparently his heart beat only for me.

I felt like a monster. I was a horrible person for refusing him my hand, and I felt like I didn't deserve to be happy because I had doomed Taruk to a life of misery.

* * *

The last few weeks passed quickly and quietly then. I absolutely threw myself into my training, and, while it did take time, Taruk and I did officially make up. He admitted that I was right, that he was only looking for company, and I promised him that I would never abandon him. I knew he needed someone who was truly in his corner, and not just someone who depended on him for his or her next meal. I was determined to be that person.

It was the day I had been anticipating—and dreading—for so long. It was finally time to leave. I helped the men load the ship with the supplies, which sent quite a few shockwaves through the group since, I was, "A lady. And a lady should never be doing such things." It didn't help that I was the only woman on the whole crew. A handful of healers had decided to go, but after Taruk's father died, fear of stray Fire Navy ships forced them all to withdraw their bids. And so it was that I was the only healer who was going along for the ride. It wasn't so bad, but it was alienating in its own way.

The entire Northern Tribe had gathered to see us off. Taruk was there, as were my uncle and Yue, and I was even pleasantly surprised to see my mother at the loading dock. I bid my family farewell, and when it was my turn to say goodbye to Taruk, I lingered. "Thank you so much for all of your help, Taruk. You can't possibly know how much it means to me."

"You're welcome. I would do anything for you, Yarah. You should know that by now," he said with a chuckle and a slight grin.

"I do. I do know that. But now I want to do something for you," I said. "Do you still have that betrothal necklace?" I asked.

"Absolutely!" he said excitedly. "Does this mean what I think it means?" he said as he handed it to me.

"No," I said quietly. "But being away will help me realize how I feel," I said. I rose up on my tip toes to throw my arms around him and kiss him deeply. "When I come back," I said, "just know that if I'm wearing this, I will eagerly and happily marry you. But if I'm not, then I'm sorry to say that I just don't feel that way about you. Whatever happens, though, I want us to remain friends," I said solemnly.

"Of course, Yarah. That's all I could ever ask of you. If you do agree to marry me, I want you to do it with a clear and an enlightened heart," he said as he let his arms linger on my waist.

"I have to go now," I said as I heard the ship's deep whistle behind me. The rest of the crew had boarded and was waiting for me. "Just know that I love you, Taruk. You are my closest friend, and I will always love you for that," I said.

I turned away from him and ran up aboard the ship. I had to get away from him before I got caught up in the moment and maybe accidently agreed to marry him. Once I was safely on deck and away from everyone, I turned back to face them.

As the ship—a repurposed Fire Navy vessel from a recent battle—began to take off, my heart was instantly lightened. It immediately felt good to be moving away from all the trauma and turmoil that was my homeland. I watched the city slowly shrink behind me, having no idea that I was in for much, much worse things ahead.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Once the city was out of view, we were officially on our journey. It was absolutely nerve-wracking and completely exhilarating all at once. We were all excited to help our brothers and sisters in the South, and—as I later discovered—it turns out that I wasn't the only one running away from something. Several of the men were trying to escape the North as well. A few of them had arranged marriages that were no longer appealing; some just wanted to escape the humdrum that was life in the city; and others, I found out, were convicts who were offered amnesty if they went. That idea was oddly comforting to me. Not that I was travelling with criminals, but that they were given a second chance to get it right. And it helped that many of them really believed in the mission, and weren't just trying to get out of prison.

I have to admit that I let my anxiety get the best of me several times that day, but luckily there was an older man named Arlok who had taken many trips around the world. He comforted me by telling me that this was a good, solid, strong vessel that we were on, and that the captain knew exactly what he was doing. "You don't think they'd let just anyone steer the ship that had our most precious cargo on it, do you?" he said jokingly. But he was right. The war had ravaged us so badly that waterbenders were almost beginning to come few and far between. So Arnook had every reason to make sure the he selected only the finest crewmen to escort us.

Everyone had a job to do on the ship. Some of the men kept the deck clean; some loaded the coal into the boilers; and a few even did laundry. Since our original cook was too afraid to go and backed out, I was elected chef. I wanted to do something special for our first night at sea, so I asked a couple of men to fetch me all of the cafishsalmon they could possibly catch. Catfishsalmon were hard to come by in the waters near our city, and so they were considered a rare delicacy, usually reserved only for the richest members of our society. Once they heard what I was planning, every available man joined in, and I ended up having more fish than I could possibly know what to do with.

I grilled the salmon and roasted some tubers we had from the food stocks, but only enough so that everyone could have one of each. We had to make our rations last. But I did throw in a single moonpeach for each of us, as a special treat. It was a great dinner. Everyone was talking and laughing, sharing stories and jokes. The camaraderie we had developed in just a few hours was nothing short of amazing. They crew accepted me and took me in right away, so much so that I didn't even feel like the only girl anymore. That is until they would pull out my chair, open doors for me, or refuse to let me do any sort of physical labor.

Every week, we would have some sort of festivity to try to prevent the monotony of looking at nothing but ocean water. One week, we would have Music Night. The next would be a sort of comedy hour, during which we told our funniest stories or best jokes. We would also host a talent show, in which everyone had to participate. We agreed that showing off our individual talents would be good for bonding.

We also decided to make the most of our All-Around-The-World trip. Each of us put in a bid for a place we wanted to go, and we would vote on each idea. The five bids with the most votes would be chosen and planned as mini-vacations, provided they weren't too far out of the way of our original route. I was so excited to know that my bid to go to an Air Temple had been chosen. I have always been fascinated by the Airbenders, and I wanted to learn as much about them as I possibly could. For years I had dreamt of visiting an Air Temple. To walk were they walked and see where and how they lived. I was also ecstatic to know that my mini-vacation would be the first stop on our journey. The route we planned as not even half a day's journey from the Northern Air Temple, so it made sense to go ahead and stop there instead of going out of our way to try and visit another Temple.

* * *

Everything was going well until that night. It had been about six weeks since had we left the Northern Tribe behind us. We had drifted from our original course in an effort to go ahead toward the Northern Air Temple. It was a quiet night, nice and warm, and I had decided to spend some time on deck, to get some fresh air since I had been cooped up in the kitchen for most of the day. I was enjoying the peace and quiet, since most of the men had already gone to their quarters for the night.

After a couple of hours, I began to grow tired. I was turning to head back to my quarters when I saw it. It was just a black speck in the distance at first, but it was quickly and steadily growing larger and larger until there was no mistaking it. A Fire Navy ship. I ran up the ballast as fast as I could. "I know, Yarah. I've already seen it," the helmsman said gravely.

"What're we going to do?" I asked desperately.

"That's… up to the Captain," he replied.

"Okay," I said. "I'll ask him and get back to you." I immediately turned and ran to the Captain's Nest. "Captain! Captain!" I hollered. I was out of breath, but he heard me. He turned to face me. "There's a Fire Navy ship headed right toward us," I said, breathing heavily. "It's pretty far out right now, but it won't be long before they reach us," I added. I stepped closer to him. "What're we going to do?" I asked. I wasn't looking for a fight, but I also wasn't going to miss the opportunity to exact some small measure of revenge.

"Tell the crew," he said, "to prepare for surrender."

"WHAT?!" I screamed. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. There was absolutely no way I would ever give up. Not with everything we had at stake. The South Pole was depending on us. They needed our help, and if for some reason we didn't make it, my uncle might decide to abandon the cause altogether and let our sister tribe go extinct. And that was something I simply could not let happen. Not while there was breath in my body.

I was pulled out of my shock when Arlok and several other men showed up. "We heard yelling. Is everything alright?" he asked.

"No, it's not," I began. "There is a Fire Navy ship about a mile out from us," I said. "I asked the Captain what to do, and he told me to tell you to ready for surrender."

"What?!" Arlok said, echoing my earlier response to the notion.

"Well, it does seem like the safe choice," said a man behind him. "Who knows what the Fire Nation will do to us if—"

"Who CARES what they'll do?!" I screamed angrily. "We have a mission and a cause which we must see through to the end! Do not let your fear allow you to forget about the women and children in the South who are depending on us to make it down there. Now do you want to surrender like cowards and forfeit your honor, or do you want to fight like the men you claim to be and show them that the Water Tribes will surrender to no one!" I said forcefully.

I didn't think my words were so powerful, but several men started to unleash vigorous cheers, and before I knew it, I had been swept up on deck with the rest of the men as they took their positions to fight. They wouldn't let me on the front line at first, at least not until I told them that I had just as much a right to defend the ship and my honor as they did. That got them even more fired up, knowing that the only woman onboard was just as—if not more—ready, willing, and able to fight.

It was only minutes before the ship got up close to ours. They had several soldiers on deck, about seven in all, and the one in the middle had clearly been chosen to do the talking, as the others fell silent when he spoke. "In accordance with the Fire Lord's naval decree, you are to surrender your ship and your crew at once. We know this vessel was stolen, and Fire Lord Azulon has ordered the ship to be taken back on sight. If you surrender peacefully, we will—" He stopped talking as his jaw fell.

On my own, I had lifted a wave no less than twenty feet above sea level and sent it crashing onto the deck, washing away all seven soldiers. The ship was solid, though, even sturdier than ours, and while it did lean over quite a bit, it didn't capsize. It righted itself, and not even seconds later, the entire crew as well as all the soldiers within had rushed on deck.

The battle started immediately after that. I could see waterbenders and firebenders rushing aboard each other's ships to fight. There was fire and water and steam all around me. It was absolutely unnerving, but I managed to keep my wits about me as a Fire Nation soldier rushed right to me. I let him run as fast as he could towards me before I quickly side-stepped. He couldn't stop his momentum, though, and he ran right into the railing, hanging over it. I bent some water up from the sea, and I brought down my closed fist, several shards of ice had impaled the man, killing him instantly. I almost felt bad for him, but he knew what he was doing.

When I looked around, I was horrified to see that there was blood everywhere, and that most of our men were dead. I had been severely injured myself, but I had too much adrenaline coursing through me to feel any pain. "Yarah…" I heard someone murmur from a few feet away. I turned to see Arlok on the floor, crawling towards me. His legs had literally been burnt off, and I could tell that he was using the very last of his energy to get to me. I ran to him then, to save him the effort. "Yarah," he said, coughing up blood. "This battle is over. We've lost."

Tears flooded my eyes then as I realized that it was all my fault. If I had just agreed to surrender like the Captain wanted us to, everyone would still be alive. "Do not regret urging us to fight. You gave us a chance to defend our honor," he said. He continued then. "You are a great master. I have witnessed your bending firsthand just now, and I can honestly say that I never thought a woman was capable of such bending. You have surpassed myself as well as every other bender on this ship combined… Yours is a great skill which must be shared with the South. Go now. Run away and try to survive this onslaught. Someone has to survive, and if I could only choose one person, it would be you." I shook my head then, refusing to run away. He took his very last breath right after that, and I kissed his forehead before struggling to lift what was left of his body over the railing and into the ocean. The greatest honor a waterbender could attain was to be buried at sea.

I turned around and looked at the Fire Navy ship with tears in my eyes. I wanted to destroy it, as well as every single thing and person on board. I turned and ran for the other side of the deck then, diving overboard. I heard several shouts and taunts behind me. "Yeah, that's right! Turn and run like the coward you are! Go back to the North to play in your puddles."

Everything fell silent, though, when I rose. I used my anger to fuel my bending, and had created a twenty-five-foot waterspout that surrounded my lower body and lifted me high into the air. In addition to that, I had also given myself twelve tentacles of water which swirled this way and that around me. I used each of them to grab a man and hurl him hundreds of yards into the ocean and away from the ship.

It was going well. I had almost cleared the ship, until I saw him. He was dressed differently than the rest, in a much more ornate uniform. He must have been some kind of leader or something. I was momentarily distracted by him, and he used that opportunity to strike. His hands began to glow then as he made circular movements. But it wasn't fire; it was lightening. He was creating lightening!

It happened far too fast for to me to react, but I still perceived it in slow motion. I watched as he created two semi-circles—one with each hand—to generate the lightening, and then he aimed directly for my waterspout and fired. I gasped what I thought to be my last breath as I saw the lightening travel up the tower of water, before shockwaves ran through my body and everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

I was absolutely shocked to wake up aboard the Fire Navy ship. I was surprised to even awaken at all, but it quickly waned when I realized where I was. How did I make it onto the ship? How did I even survive? For all intents and purposes, I had been struck by lightening. There was no way I could have possibly survived that. But here I was. I held out my arms in front of me, touching the back of my hand to make sure.

It was real. I was alive. Now I had to figure out what I was going to do. I looked around the small prison cell in which I was enclosed. I was lying on a scattered bale of hay. There was literally nothing else in there. Not a food tray, or a cup of water, or anything. I hadn't expected there to be any water—you wouldn't give your enemy a weapon with which to kill you—but it would have been nice. I was growing thirsty.

It was quite a while before anyone came to check on me. I'm not sure how long, of course, because my cell didn't even have so much as a window to give me any indication of the passage of time. A soldier came in with a tray of food. "Oh, good, you're awake," he said. "That was quite a feat of waterbending you did out there a few days ago." So it had been a few days since the battle. That meant I could've been anywhere in the world, with the way those Fire Navy ships cut through the water. "The Prince was quite impressed." Prince? Who in the world was he talking about? There was no way a Prince was onboard this ship. Unless… the man who shot the lightening at me. His uniform was different from the rest, much more ornate. Could that have been the prince to whom this man was referring?

"He wants to see you… After we get you back in shape, that is. We hadn't intended on taking any prisoners, but… when we saw how pretty you were, well. Of course we made an exception. We're going to have fun with you," he said as he grabbed at his groin. "After the Prince, of course." He unlocked the cell then, coming inside and stepping up to me, putting his face not even inches away from mine. "I for one can't wait to see what lies beneath that pretty little dress of yours."

Before he knew what had happened, I spit in his face, right between the eyes. He tackled me then, putting the full of his body weight on top of me before punching me in the face several times. I wasn't seriously hurt by the attack—his hits were very weak—but I was certainly in for a very severe headache. I groaned then, but I did manage to spit at the man again as he rose to leave. "I guess it looks like I'm going to have to teach you a lesson… It's going to be fun watching the light leave your eyes as we break you." I snorted at that. There was no way I would ever let these thugs break me. No. I would show them that the Water Tribes never back down to anyone.

When he finally left, I looked around again, eager to find some sort of escape route. It appeared as though the prison hold was nothing more than a tiny room divided into four miniscule jail cells. As I noticed before, there were no windows to be found. I was at a loss as to how to escape, so I decided to wait. Wait, watch, and listen. Surely an opportunity would present itself.

* * *

It was several days before anyone came to check on me again. I only know that because of the waxing and waning of my strength, caused by the rising and setting of the Moon. I was sure that they thought they had starved me half to death, but they were wrong. I wasn't well-nourished, but I definitely was not starving by any means. Because you see, when you're in a bind, hay can be very tasty.

The soldier—the same man as before—who came to check on me was rather surprised to see that I was alive and well. Alive, well, and horrifyingly malodorous, that is. "The Prince will see you now. But first," he said, "we must clean you up." I'm ashamed to say that I allowed myself to be the slightest bit ecstatic about the chance to bathe, to rid myself of the stink and filth which had attached themselves so strongly to me. I looked up at him then, and he must've seen the hope in my eyes. "Hmph. Don't go gettin' any ideas now, girl. I'll be watching you closely."

He stepped to me and lifted me up from the floor. He opened the door to my cell then, but not before he tightened the shackles on my wrists. I yelped loudly when the hot metal burned its way into my skin. I would definitely have to spend some of my precious bath time healing those burns. But I didn't care. I was just so happy to have a chance to get back into my element. The soldier led me up several decks and into the bath house. I couldn't believe the size of the tub. It was huge! I could easily submerge myself in it, while standing, with more than enough room to swim around.

"Go ahead, poppet," I heard the soldier say behind me. I turned around and looked at him, the shock clear and present on my face. There was no way I would possibly undress in front of this man. A lady would only disrobe in the presence of her husband, if that. "Go on now. Don't you want your bath?" he taunted. I gave him the smallest of smiles then, nothing more than a slight little smirk, just enough pique his interest.

I used his trick against him, easily bending some of the water from the tub to make a steam cloak. By the time I had pulled it back, I was already in the tub and asking where the soap was. He was not amused by my antics, but the look on his face said that he knew I had gotten the better of him. And so it was that I was left to concentrate on my bathing.

I took very slow, very deliberate movements as I scrubbed the dirt from my skin. The man made mention of the fact that the Prince liked lavender, and so that was the scent of the oil in the water, as well as my soap and body oil. I wasn't too enamored of the idea of meeting the Prince who had shot me down with lightening and had thus allowed me to be imprisoned on this La-forsaken ship, but I would give him one thing. He had excellent taste.

After I was sure that my body was clean, I finally let my hair down to wash it. Given the length—down to my hips by then—this was no small feat. But in time it, too, was neat and clean. I told the soldier that I was done, but instead of going to fetch me some clothes or even a towel, he began to undress himself. _'Odd,'_ I thought. It was several minutes before I realized what was happening. By that time, he was completely naked and had climbed into the tub with me.

I immediately started to scream for help then, but he quickly sprang into action, leaping forward and clasping his hand over my mouth. He had pressed his body against mine, so much so that I could feel his heart beating on my chest. It was only when he weaseled his way between my legs and had pressed his hardened member against my entrance that it became real. He was going to rape me.

It was a full moon night. I remember it clearly, because at the time it was the only reason I was able to do what I did. I pushed him away from me as forcefully as I could. It wasn't far, but it was far enough. I held out one had, and used it to take hold of his body. I reached out my other hand to take control of the blood around his heart. I closed my fist, and when I opened it, I could feel the blood rushing away from his heart. Within seconds, he was dead, clutching his chest before falling into the water with a large splash.

I simply stood there, in shock, for a few moments as the enormity of what had happened hit me. This man had tried to rape me, and I killed him for it. He was an attempted rapist, but I was now a murderer. And surely I would face severe consequences for that. Just as I reached that conclusion, a group of several more soldiers came rushing into the bath house. "We heard screaming. What's going on in—" The man who spoke stopped cold when he saw the soldier floating in front of me, dead. "Yan Li… What's happened to him? What did you—"

"He tried to—" I was quickly cut off when the soldiers—all eight of them—rushed me all at once. They immediately "apprehended" me, lifting me out of the tub with ease.

"Bring her before the Prince immediately so that he may decide what to do with her," said the man who spoke earlier. "But let her dress first," he ordered. I was allowed to don a light, silk nightgown with thin straps that didn't even cover half the length of my thighs. I twirled my hair into a long, tight rope before coiling it at the base of my neck and securing it with a small pin. Something told me I wasn't going to have time to prepare my usual elaborate hairstyle, and I was proven right when I was immediately taken to the Prince's chambers.

"My Prince," one of the men said as he led me into the chambers and forced me down into a kneeling position. "This girl has just murdered Yan Li. We've brought her to you for punishment." He exited the room then, closing and locking the door behind me. I was alone with the Prince now, and I was terrified. And with good reason, too. I had murdered one of his soldiers in addition to several of his crew, and I had almost sunk his ship. He had every reason to kill me.

He turned to look down at me, and while his face was set into a hard glare, I have to admit that his eyes were incredibly beautiful even then. Deep, rich amber with a warmth in them that the other Fire Nation people lacked. He was tall, with broad shoulders and long, jet black hair done up in a top knot. I had only gotten one look at him, and I could tell that he was different. He continued to look down at me, but I stood up defiantly. I would bow down to no man, especially not one from the Fire Nation. He stepped closer to me then, to which I responded by stepping back. "You killed my soldier," he began.

"He was going to rape me," I murmured.

"What?"

"He was trying to rape me," I said a little louder.

"He what?!"

I SAID—"

"No, I heard you. Tell me what happened." I relayed the entire story to him then, sparing not even the smallest detail. "I'm so sorry that happened to you," he said, and I just… I just knew that he was being genuine. "I had heard stories about what happens to the POWs, but I couldn't… I didn't want to believe it could be true," he said. "But I know now that I was wrong." I liked listening to his voice. It was deep, smooth, commanding while at the same time gentle. He stepped closer to me again, and I stepped back. We repeated this ritual until I was pinned against the wall. "Here, let me help you." He reached out his hands for mine, and… And La damn it, I gave them to him. His touch was so soft, and so warm. It sent a shiver down my spine.

He took the shackles from my wrists, and I could see that he was appalled by the deep gashes and severe burns on my skin. "This looks awful," he said. Way to make me feel better about my situation. But then, he did something that surprised even me. He turned and took a couple of steps away from me before coming back with a small basin of water. "I've read stories about your people… You can heal yourself with this, right?" Of course he had read about us. To know your enemy is to defeat your enemy. But I let the pain get the best of me.

I pulled some of the water from the bowl, and bent it around one of my wrists. It began to glow—a strange thing the water does when we're healing—and in seconds, my skin was brand new, with not even a freckle to blemish it. "That… is… amazing," he said, clearly in awe. "Do it again," he commanded excitedly. I obliged him by performing the same ritual on my other wrist. "Incredible," he said. "I'd never thought I'd see something so astounding with my own eyes. How did you do that?"

"Not everyone has this gift," I said quietly. "But I am a master healer."

"Wow," he said. The awe in his eyes was unmistakable. He was as fascinated with healing as I was with airbenders. He went to sit on his bed then, and for the first time I noticed that he walked with a limp.

"You're hurt," I said.

"It's nothing. Just a little—"

"I can I fix it," I said before I realized what words were tumbling out of my mouth. The healer in me was taking over. I should have been trying to kill this man, but I hadn't the slightest desire or inkling to do so. He was different, I could tell, and until he gave me reason to believe otherwise, I would continue to accept the fact that he meant me no harm. After all, he could have killed me several times over in just the few minutes that I had been with him.

I walked over to where he sat on the bed, knelt down in front of him, and removed his boot. It only took one glance at his ankle to see that it was severely strained, if not broken, and it needed to be fixed immediately. I looked around for some water and was rewarded with another large bowl of it on a table nearby. I brought the water to him and sat it down on the floor next to me. I slowly bent the water out of it, covering his foot and ankle. The water glowed as it went to work healing his injuries. He sighed heavily then. "That feels incredible," he said. He opened his eyes to look down at me, but I was too engrossed in my work to notice at first. I did eventually feel his gaze on me, and I looked up at him. His eyes trapped me then. "I'm Lu Ten," he said.

"My name is Yarah," I replied. Right then and there I knew that nothing would ever be the same.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

"Yarah," he said. "That's a beautiful name." I forced myself to concentrate on his ankle as the a blush began to tint my cheeks bright red. What. Was. Happening?! This was the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, the man who struck me with lightening, and here I was blushing at his unoriginal compliments like some ridiculous lovesick teenager. I sighed heavily then, as I willed the blush to subside. "You don't have to be afraid of me… I'm not like the others," he said gently.

"I know," I said without meaning to. We were both walking on eggshells with one another, that much was for sure. One of us had to let our guard down eventually. And besides, we'd had every opportunity to kill each other, if that was what we really wanted. It couldn't hurt to make conversation."You don't seem to enjoy the toils of war," I said softly, almost silently.

"I don't," he said. "I don't like this war one bit. It's stupid, and pointless, and basically a vanity project for whomever the Fire Lord happens to be at the time, and as soon as I'm crowned I'm going to put an end to it." I was shocked. So much so that my jaw dropped, and I lost control of the water that I was bending. "But that's no way for a Fire Nation Prince to think, so…" He lowered and averted his gaze then, as he let loose an uneasy laugh. He hadn't meant to tell me that much, I could tell.

"It's all right. I won't tell anyone," I said truthfully. I looked up at him then, and gave him the tiniest of smiles. I was surprised to see him blush.

"And what about you?" he asked. "What are you doing out here with a Fire Navy ship full of waterbenders in the middle of the ocean?" he asked. I knew he was only curious, and if the circumstances were any different, I probably would have told him without hesitation. But I couldn't risk it now.

"I can't tell you that," I answered simply.

"All right then," he replied. I was surprised when he didn't press the matter further. My avoidance to answer should have immediately tipped him off to the fact that I was withholding potentially valuable information. But he let it go without even the slightest hint that he cared. Maybe he was different. Maybe he meant what he said about not liking the war.

I forced myself to stay focused on my work, as I was almost done. I lifted more water from the pot to replace what I had lost earlier. I wrapped the water around his ankle and foot again, and within minutes, his ankle was completely healed. "There," I said. "All better." I performed one more quick exam then, to make sure that there were no other injuries aside from the sprain I had just fixed.

"Thank you," he said. Prince Lu Ten twisted his ankle around in a circle. "It feels better than ever. I can't possibly thank you enough." He rose and stepped toward me then. I quickly backed away from him, using my hands and feet to put several feet of distance between us. A puzzled expression overtook him then. "What are you doing? What's wrong?"

I backed myself into the wall. "I don't… I can't trust you," I said truthfully. Sure, he hadn't killed me yet, but he was still Fire Nation, and as such he was a danger to me and must be handled appropriately. There was no way I was going to let him close to me. "Don't come any closer," I threatened. I looked around for another source of water. Everything I used to heal him had evaporated in the process, and—unfortunately for me—there wasn't another source to be found. Unless… I looked past him and out to the open window. If I could just get to that window, I would have the entire ocean at my disposal. Of course, in my terrified and irrational state, I was too worked up to remember that I could have easily bent the ocean water through the window even at this distance, and an entire barrel of drinking water rested right beside me in a nearby corner.

"Are you serious?" he said, and I thought I heard the slightest bit of annoyance in his voice. "Where is this coming from?" he asked, stepping closer to me. "Listen, I'm not going to hurt you. I thought I'd made that abundantly clear before, but I guess not… Would it help if I told you that I've had at least seven chances to kill you, and I haven't taken a single shot at it?" He had a point. That very thought had just crossed my mind a few minutes ago. "I'm not like them," he said, taking another step towards me.

But what if this was a trap? What if his so-called refusal to kill me was just a trick to lure me in so that he could strike while my guard was down? I pursed my lips then. I shook my head as I realized that I had let my guard down almost immediately upon entering his chambers, though. As soon as I saw that he was hurt. So yes, even if he was trying to trick me, I should still be dead by now. I decided to trust him for the time being, albeit conditionally. As of right now, he was my only hope for surviving this ship.

"You must be hungry," he said quietly then, suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. As if on cue, my stomach began to growl ferociously. "Let me fetch you something to eat," he offered before exiting the room before I could refuse.

When he was gone, I pulled my legs to my chest and bit my lip. I couldn't believe the sorry state I was in. Captured, alone, and at the mercy of the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Maybe my mother was right. Maybe I shouldn't have volunteered for the mission after all. I shook my head violently as I tried to rid myself of this poisonous thought. If my mother had it her way, I'd be constantly underfoot, taking care of the house while she wasted away pining after my father. And that was a life that simply wasn't worth living anymore.

Truth be told, even despite my current circumstances, I was glad that I had chosen to go along for the quest. It was the first decision I had ever truly made on my own, and it made me feel like I was taking charge of my life for a change. Even if all of this _had_ been a mistake, it was mistake _I_ chose to make. I was finally in control of my own destiny, and I couldn't have been happier about that.

In fact, I was so overjoyed that I decided to make the most out of all of this. I decided to go out on a limb and trust the Prince. So what if he betrayed me and ended up killing me? I wasn't about to divulge any war secrets. And besides, it wasn't like I had anyone to miss me terribly. Taruk would move on and find someone else to love. My mother had already made it painfully clear how she felt about me, and my uncle might feel bad for a while, but he still had his own daughter, Yue. And as for my little baby cousin, well. She was young. She would heal pretty quickly. Children are resilient that way.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the Prince returned with a whole tray of food. "I figured you were pretty hungry, so I got you some of everything," he said. "Here." He sat the tray down in front of me and backed away, raising his hands defensively. I looked over the food, regarding it pensively at first, but then the hunger quickly overtook me and I dove in like a madwoman, attacking every morsel on the tray and shoving it into my mouth without even the slightest regard for manners or decorum. And who could blame me? I had been surviving off of meager rations of hay for who knows how many days. This was the first solid meal I'd had in La only knows how long.

When I had cleared my tray—in a matter of minutes if not seconds—I remembered the barrel of drinking water in the corner. I put my arm out in front of me and pulled the water out of the drum toward me, bringing a small but steady stream to my mouth. In no time, I had emptied the container completely. "Did you just? Did you just drink all TEN gallons of my water?" Prince Lu Ten asked incredulously.

"Yes," I said, as though it were obvious. Which it was. "Waterbenders need to drink far more water than regular people, just like Firebenders need warmer room temperatures or their fire will go out; Earthbenders need to stay on solid ground or else they'll get air- or seasickness; and Airbenders need wide open spaces or else they'll get claustrophobic and start to go insane."

"Wow," he said, clearly surprised that I knew that much.

I shrugged. "I do my research." I put my hand to my forehead then, as a searing pain struck the back of my neck as well as my temple.

"Are you all right?" he asked. I could hear the worry in his voice, and for some reason, that flattered me.

I didn't take me long to figure out what the problem was. "Do you have a comb and a brush?" I asked. He looked at me as though that were a rather odd request—which, in retrospect it was—but he obliged me, pulling a brand new comb and brush set out of one of his drawers. I pulled the pin out of my bun and let my hair down, immediately breathing a heavy sigh of relief as the pain subsided.

I pulled my hair over my left shoulder, letting it cascade down my chest and stomach before the tips came to a rest in my lap. I started to comb it, carefully, starting at the bottom, and by the time I'd reached my scalp, my hair was nice, shiny, and silky. "Wow," I heard the Prince murmur. "Your hair is beautiful."

I almost jumped out of my skin at that. I had completely forgotten that he was there, and for some reason, I felt totally exposed. I didn't usually let my hair down in front of anyone. It just seemed too personal to me. I sighed as I looked down, remembering all the times my father used to brush my hair before he tucked me in at night. "You have the most beautiful hair in the world, Panik (1). The man who gets to brush your hair will be lucky indeed," he would say. Maybe _that_ was the reason. My hair reminded me of my father, and letting it down at night was just another painful reminder that he was no longer there to brush it anymore, which meant that he was gone for good.

I sighed heavily, though, remembering that the Prince had paid me a compliment. "Thank you," I murmured softly, with a weak smile. I couldn't hide a yawn then, one that seemed to draw every ounce of breath out of me.

"You're tired… You must be exhausted," he said, standing up. "Here, take my bed. Go to sleep."

"And… where will you sleep?" I asked warily.

"On… the… floor…?" he said slowly while raising an eyebrow, almost as if he were speaking to an imbecile. I didn't appreciate it, but in retrospect I can definitely understand where he was coming from. This man was doing everything he could to make things easy for me, and I was fighting him at every turn.

"No," I said. "I'LL sleep on the floor and YOU take your bed," I finished as I watched him yawn, too.

"Fine, fine, fine," he said, throwing up his hands in defeat as he realized what a lost cause it was. He gathered some extra pillows and blankets, and proceeded to fashion a make-shift bed for me on the floor. I told him he didn't have to go through all that trouble for me, but he insisted. I laid down, and seconds after my head hit the pillow, I was asleep.

When I woke up to get a drink of water, I noticed that I was now in his bed, and Prince Lu Ten was on the floor, sleeping peacefully.

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1- Panik: Inuit word for daughter. The Waterbenders are based off the Inuit tribes of northern Canada and Alaska.

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Reviews are appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

I woke up the next day, still miffed that the Prince had put me in his bed against my wishes. The fact that it was the softest thing I had ever felt—with a mattress that felt like a cloud, luxurious silk sheets, and rich down pillows that cradled my head—was of no import. I sat up, looking around for the Prince. I found him in the corner, surrounded by candles, meditating. The flames seemed to wax and wane, almost in tune with his breathing. "How are you doing that?" I asked, watching in fascination.

"The key to firebending is your breathing," he said simply, with a calm to his voice that I hadn't heard before. "You control the fire with your breath…" His eyes were still closed. "Your nightgown. You might want to fix it," he said.

"Wha…?" I looked down to see that the right strap of my nightgown was halfway down the top of my arm, revealing most of the top of my breast. My hands started to shake as I—with a heavy blush—fixed it. "How did you know that?" I asked, in awe.

The Prince took a deep breath through his nose, and when he released it from his mouth, the flames went out simultaneously, leaving only wispy, otherworldly tendrils of smoke in their place. He opened his eyes finally, and they were brighter than I had ever seen them, alight with something I couldn't quite put a name to. "I snuck a peak at you when you woke up," he admitted. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

I sighed heavily. There he was again, being all noble and caring and heroic. It grated on me, unnerved me. How could I possibly hate this man who had obviously cared about me so much? This wasn't how it was supposed to go. We were supposed to be at each other's throats, out for blood. Each of us was not to rest until the other was dead.

And yet here we were, looking at one another without even the slightest hint of hostility or aggression. I pursed my lips then as I pulled my hair to one side, grabbed the brush off the bedside table next to me, and began to brush. "So," I said nervously, "what happens now?"

He started at me for several seconds before responding, as if he were transfixed by my very presence. "I, um…" He shook his head then as he quickly recovered his wits. "Well, I have meetings all day today, which leaves you here to try and entertain yourself in my quarters," he began. "Look around; touch whatever you like; read whatever books you come across," he said. "But do not leave my chambers," he ordered suddenly, very seriously.

"Excuse me?" I said, with quite a bit of edge to my voice. I didn't take orders from anyone, certainly not from a man, and ESPECIALLY not a FIRE NATION man.

He sighed heavily. "I'm not trying to boss you around or control you," he said, obviously sensing the fire in my voice. "I just don't want anyone to catch you all alone out there," he explained. "Technically speaking, you count as the spoils of war. There are no laws to protect you. The men are entitled—and even encouraged—to do whatever they want to you. I just—I'm just afraid that if you got in trouble, I wouldn't be able to get to you in time. I don't—"

"So you're not ordering me around as much as protecting me," I summarized.

"Exactly," he said, with a deep sigh, the relief clear and present in his voice.

I sighed heavily myself then, in exasperation. "You're making it really hard for me to hate you," I said honestly, looking him right in those golden eyes of his.

He gave me the winningest, most charming smile I'd ever seen in a human being then, along with a light, airy chuckle that sounded like music to my ears. "That's the idea," he said, setting my heart aflutter.

I gave a smile of my own then, looking down and tucking some hair behind my ear as a heavy blush tinted my cheeks bright red. "You're beautiful when you blush," he said, "but you're even more beautiful when you smile." I lowered my head, letting my hair shroud my face as my heart began to beat wildly in my chest. Was this what it was like to feel beautiful? Was this what it felt like to be desired? I wanted more of this feeling. And I wanted the Prince to be the one who gave it to me.

We were both pulled out of our thoughts by a knock at the door. "Hide," he mouthed hurriedly, in a panic. I dove under the bed in a fright, being careful not to make a sound. I watched Lu Ten's feet approach the door before he answered it. "Speak," he commanded, almost harshly.

"G-good morning, Prince Lu Ten. Th-the morning meeting is starting soon. Your presence is m-most humbly requested. Important things will be discussed," the soldier continued.

"Fine," Prince Lu Ten snapped. "I'll be there momentarily. Leave," he ordered. I watched the man's feet turn and walk away before the Prince closed the door in a rush. He hurried over to the bed and lifted the bed-skirt before bending down to look at me. "I have to go now," he said. "Lock the door behind me and stay hidden. If anyone knocks, do NOT answer it. I have the only key, and I obviously won't be knocking," he said as he fished a key ring out of his pocket.

I nodded quickly. "Okay," he said.

"Be careful. Stay safe," he commanded gently as he lowered the bed-skirt again. I listened for his footsteps as he went to the door, opened it, and closed it behind him. Once I heard the door shut, I knew it was safe to come back out. I slid out from under the bed and ran to the door, being careful to keep my footsteps light. I locked everything but the chain lock, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back in if it were engaged.

I turned around and looked at the room, trying to figure out what to do next. Well, cleaning, for starters. There were clothes scattered everywhere, along with various scrolls and papers. The bed needed to be made, and the make-shift bed that the Prince had set up needed to be put away, at least until it was ready to be used again. So, I busied myself with all of that, and—after I'm not exactly sure how long—the room was completely spotless. I smiled with myself, pleased at my progress.

I still had no idea what time it was, so I looked out the porthole to try and glean some sort of clue. The Sun was nearly on the horizon, which meant that it was at least late afternoon, if not the early evening. For some reason, I was glad for that. It meant that the Prince would be back soon. I blushed at that, cursing myself for being foolish enough to hope for his return. Sure, he was charming, and sweet, and… admittedly quite handsome, but. He was still Fire Nation.

I shook my head at that. I was being silly. So what if he had called me beautiful. That didn't mean he was interested in me. And more importantly, why in La's name did I care if he was interested me?

Because I wanted him to be.

No. No. I shook my head even harder then. There was absolutely no way I could entertain that thought. Even if I could get past my reservations—and if the Prince could ever find it in himself to… to think of me that way—we simply could not be together that way. He was the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, eventual heir to the throne, and I was nothing more than a lowly Water Tribe healer. There was no way. Our people simply would not accept the Union, and—even though I had left my entire family and life behind—I was nothing without my people. I still needed them.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the locks being engaged. I forgot myself then, the only thing on my mind being that I was on a ship full of firebenders. I opened the porthole and bent several gallons of water around myself, ready to fight whomever it was that dared intrude on me.

But it was only the Prince. "Oh, oh La it's you," I said. "I… I'm so sorry," I said, embarrassed. I was absolutely mortified. How could I have so easily forgotten that Lu Ten was the only one who was able to enter this room? I returned the water to the ocean then, and put my hands over my face. I didn't want him to see how humiliated I was.

I was so caught up in myself that I didn't hear him stepping towards me, and I almost slapped him when he grabbed my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face. "It's okay, really," he said with a chuckle. "You're a fighter," he opined. "I like that about you." There was that damned blush again. I turned away from him so that he couldn't see it. He put his hands on my shoulders then, and his touch was so warm. I closed my eyes then, relishing the feeling of having his skin touch mine. "No one is laughing at you," he said seriously.

Before I realized what I was doing, before I could fight it, I reached my arm across my chest, and placed my hand on his. I could all but feel him smiling behind me. "I am being pretty ridiculous," I said. I turned around to face him then, and I was surprised when he dropped his hands from my shoulders to my waist. I didn't know what to do then. I had never been touched by a man in this way, and so I had no idea how I should react. All I know was that, for the life of me, I didn't want to lose the feeling of his hands on my body.

So, I didn't fight him. "I, um… I…" I was tripped up with my words then, because I was trying to think of something I could say that wouldn't make him stop touching me. But then I got a whiff of myself. "Oh, good La!" I wailed. "Why didn't you tell me I smelled so bad?" I shrieked.

"Because you don't smell bad?" he offered.

"Are you kidding? I reek," I said.

I rolled his eyes then, and—just like I feared—he took his hands away from me. Suddenly, without the warmth of his skin on me, I felt so cold. "Let me draw you a bath," he offered. "Hide," he said softly, gently.

It was hard to believe that the same man who had been so kind to me was the same man at the door of his chambers, barking harsh orders at his crew members, ordering them to bring a basin and several barrels of water. The shipmates did as they were told, and in no time, he had set up a bath for me. The tub was high up on a set of metal railing, so that he could light a fire beneath to keep the water hot.

He went rummaging through his drawers, and returned with a bar of lavender soap, and fresh lavender body oil. He also produced a fresh nightgown, in white silk. Why he had women's clothing in his room, I'll never know. And to be honest, I was almost afraid of the answer. But, I decided not to dwell on that, and to focus on the luxury that was the bath set out before me. "Um…" I looked around, for somewhere to disrobe.

"Oh, right," he said. "Here." The Prince went to the far corner of his room, and produced a partition. He spread it out wide, giving me a large space in which to handle my business. I went behind the partition, and slowly began to undress. I climbed the stairs to the basin, and put my hand in the water, recoiling when I found it was too hot. So, I bent some of the hot water into one of the now-empty barrels, and replaced it with cool water from a different one. In no time, I had the water just right, and I climbed in, relishing the feel of it against my skin.

I was in my element now, and it showed. The basin was actually large enough to swim in, and I did just that, moving around the water like a fish in the ocean. After a while, I remembered my mission, and began to wash my skin. I had to admit, the Prince had amazing taste with his scents. I let the lavender comfort me, melting away my worries and anxieties. I was soon completely clean, and I climbed out of the water. I asked the Prince to open the porthole, and he obliged. I wrapped a towel around myself—the plushest thing I had ever felt—and began to bend the water out the window.

I quickly replaced it with fresh water from the remaining barrels, so that it could get warm before the Prince went to take his turn. I took off the towel and began to oil myself, letting it soak deep into my skin. I put on the long nightgown and grinned when it went past my feet. That, combined with the white silken housecoat that the Prince had provided me, ensured that I was completely covered from head to toe, and I was grateful for that. Growing up in the North, where it was always one or two degrees away from freezing, meant that I was always covered up, and so now I felt awkward and unwieldy if I showed any skin.

I came out from behind the partition, and the Prince quickly started shuffling things around him. I gave him a look, but he wouldn't go into detail. Instead he quickly rushed past me and behind the partition where—despite my best efforts to turn away—I watched him undress. I finally managed to pull my attention from him after I watched him climb into the tub.

I made a concerted effort to distract myself then, walking over to the porthole and looking out. I gazed out at the endless expanse of ocean before me, and in those moments I fell in love with the water all over again as I marveled at its awesome power. I opened the window, and I let the sounds of the waves crashing into the ship lull me into a sort of meditative trance.

I was snapped out of myself, though, when I heard the Prince rising from the basin. I turned to look at him just as he was exiting the partition, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I swooned when I realized he was shirtless. His body was perfect. Expertly toned, flawlessly chiseled, and… covered in burns. When he turned to go to his dresser, I noticed the burns on his back, covering almost every inch of his skin.

My lip started to tremble then, and I rushed toward him. "You're hurt," I whimpered. "I—I can fix it," I said through my tears as I rubbed the raised and puckered skin on his back. "I can—I can—"

I was stopped in my tracks when Lu Ten quickly turned and grabbed my hands. There he was again, touching me, making me melt under him. "It's okay, really. My father was a harsh teacher, that's all," he said gently, which didn't help, because I totally fell into hysterics then. Lu Ten called it being harsh. I called it abuse. Even though he had a tight grip on my hands, I managed to bend some water towards us, and was about to put it to his back when he shook me gently, causing me to drop it. "Yarah, it's fine. I don't want you to heal the burns. They taught me to respect the fire."

That still didn't help. I was a blubbering mess, crying over this man whom I had sworn to hate. He pulled me close to him then, and he wrapped his arms around my waist tightly. After a while, I finally let go and hugged him back, draping my arms around his neck. And in that moment, I understood just how dangerous this was.

Because I realized then that I never wanted him to let me go.

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